


Katádesmos - Fate's Slaves

by Anedreas



Category: Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Ancient Greek Religion & Lore Fusion, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst, Childhood Friends, Drama, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Sex, F/F, Fantastic Racism, Fictional races, High Fantasy, Inspired by Dungeons & Dragons, Japanese Culture, Mentions of μ's, Multi, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Mythopoeia, Name Changes, One-Sided Attraction, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining, Romance, Sexual Tension, Threesome - F/F/F, bildungsroman
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-04-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:41:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23869951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anedreas/pseuds/Anedreas
Summary: Hoshiura, also known as the Land of the Starfallen, is a place within the Tangible Realm designated by the Celestial Gods to consort with mortals. Seeking to create a Demigod who may fulfill the promise foretold in the Ancient Prophecy, Celestials maintain an intimate relationship with mortals.Mari is the only mortal child of the God of Forethought, a trait that ensures her a successful and comfortable lifestyle albeit with numerous obligations. However, the Fates seem to have other plans for her when she becomes the sole recipient of a bleak prediction of destruction and ruin.Aspiring to live up to the role given to her, Mari embarks on a journey through Hoshiura in search of Otozaka's vestige and the 9 champions who will save her land from the impending tragedy. If only their mortal whims, desires and weaknesses were less prominent, their crusade would be a much easier task to carry out.
Relationships: Relantionship Tags to be Added Later to Avoid Spoilers
Kudos: 2





	Katádesmos - Fate's Slaves

**Author's Note:**

> This is not a second-person POV story, only this chapter is written in such a way to reinforce the imagery and sentiments portrayed in the prologue. From Chapter 1 onwards the story will be written in a third person POV.  
> Some words are labeled and explained at the End Notes in case you're wondering what they mean.  
> With nothing further to say, enjoy the prologue.

Dark clouds cover the skies, rendering the brightness of the ever-present stars into a dim, barely visible glare. Instead, the light illuminating the skies comes from the burning torment of hailfire that is being thrown upon the earth, bombarding as far as the eye can see.

You desperately try to breathe but find it too hard of a feat. In spite of the clouds’ veil of darkness, a suffocating heat permeates the island. It coils tightly around your throat and limbs, like a hot-blooded snake asphyxiating its prey. You feel the sweat trickling down your neck and back, and for a moment it reminds you of the tepid sake you drank just a couple of weeks ago. Touching your forehead, you find your golden strands of hair clinging to your temple like a second skin, locking in the heat.

Tiredly you look outside and find prominent buildings being knocked down, magical trees older than yourself burning like candles and kindled grass scattering to the wind. It is a horrific sight. But even worse than the destruction, are the mortal lives coming to an end in front of your eyes. With every ruinous impact, the violet inferno mixes with blood, smoldering its surroundings.

You notice your vision becoming hazy, and the strength leave your muscles as your gaze falls to the floor in despair. The polished, wooden floor, characteristic of the Ohara Temple, is entirely concealed by the dispersed pallor of death, a residue of everything that is burning around you. It is almost as if the cinders were trying to entomb the holy place along with you.

* * *

_“Darkness approaches”_

* * *

You blink your eyes and find yourself standing at the middle of the nearest harbor. The familiar humming of the waves is replaced by an ill-tempered howl, angry and unforgiving. With each ensuing crash against the shore, the ocean’s violent fortissimo seems to pick up pace, promising nothing but hardships to anyone who dares seek refuge from the destruction.

The air is thick with salt and thunder crackles through the heavens, its booms harmonizing with the melody wrapping the island in ruin. The clamor of nature, though tempestuous, follows a hammering rhythm that for a moment seems on beat with the pounding of your heart. 

But then there’s silence. An ominous hush that screams annihilation.

Your eyes find the previously turbulent water retreating back to its normal levels. Then it continues crawling deeper than you have ever seen the saline fluid withdraw. Its aqueous claws dragging with it the white sand, small boats and anything it found near the shore until you are barely able to see it. 

Seconds go by, and for a moment it seems your fears were unfounded: your city and the people remaining will live to see another day come. That is until you start hearing a low reverberation coming from the horizon, just from where the water seemingly disappeared.

Dread grips your heart as a rapidly rising tide swells above any building mortal hands have ever created. If anger could take the form of water, it would be the marine mountain closing in on the coast, threatening to swallow the island whole with its monstrous size.

-Take her away! - a growl, almost like a voice orders by your side and a lithe hand grasps yours, forcing you to turn your back to the wet giant. A person you cannot distinguish desperately tries to drag you to the opposite end of the island. But as the water’s rumbles grow closer you understand it is hopeless.

Seichi will be no more. Perhaps, even the rest of Hoshiura is suffering the same destiny.

Then, a distant whisper you cannot recognize murmurs inside your head:

_“Escape will fail the swift, the strong will not prevail by their strength, and the mighty will not save their lives.”_

* * *

Your vision turns white for a moment, and when you come back to your senses, you find yourself alone and enveloped by a profound darkness unlike anything you have ever seen before. In front of you, the empty space starts being illuminated by twinkles of light akin to that of stars, forming a luminescent constellation with a humanoid shape.

_“My Daughter…”_

The deep and strong tone of voice echoes solemnly, its pleasant sound lingering in the darkness.

_“Something ominous gnaws at the edges of your world… Disguised, hiding where it cannot be uncovered… Waiting for its moment to act. Which is why auguries are sprouting throughout the land. Your vision being but one of many to come.”_

A soft sigh escapes your lips; it was just a vision. 

_“Our world is filled with experienced Demigods readied to protect the land, but I’m afraid none of them will be strong enough to defeat the enemy that threatens to overcome you…”_

Your breath hitches, and for a moment despair attempts to settle in you. 

-Revered Seiza[1], is there no way to prevent Hoshiura’s downfall? – you resolutely ask, your body instinctively dropping to the floor and bowing in the most impeccable saikeirei[2] you have ever done.

A couple of minutes go by and the anxiety within you starts making it harder to stay still, yet you manage to keep your seiza’s[3] form perfectly.

_“Rise my child…”_

Your eyes leave the darkness between your hands and again meet the light of the stars taking the form of the God of Forethought.

_“You must travel south, far beyond Seichi’s borders. Until you near the edge of your world. Inland, you will come across Otozaka’s lost vestige… If you are one to recognize it, you will be not only in the right path to fulfill the role you are meant to play in this conflict, but also in reach of the answer to your question…"_

-Understood… Revered Seiza, by what means will your child discern if she is on route? – your voice wavers at the end fearing you may have stepped out of line.

_“The only moment you’ll be certain you’re not lost will come when you unintentionally gather nine champions to face the difficulties this journey entails.”_

The figure made of stardust and luminosity opens his arms widely and in front of your eyes 9 lights appear, twinkling playfully. Each one shines radiantly and pulsates as if it was alive. Their colors -red, green, purple, light pink, orange, blue, yellow, grey and magenta- become a bright contrast to the obscurity where you find yourself.

_“Heed my words and the conqueror of demise will come forth from where you least expect it, for she does not wish to be a hero. Choose wisely and dutifully hold your tongue, otherwise this information may fall on the wrong hands and our efforts will be for naught… May the fates aid you who venture into the night… Mari.”_

**Author's Note:**

> [1]: Seiza or 星座, means constellation and is another way the Gods are called within the story.  
> [2]: Saikeirei or 最敬礼, is the most formal style of bowing to show the uttermost sincerity and respect.  
> [3]: seiza or 正座 is the term used for the traditional way of sitting in Japan.
> 
> Hello, as you may have noticed there are some names or terminology that is foreign to you. Every chapter I will explain at the end anything that I deem worthy of detailing language and lore-wise since the story will be heavy on these terms. However if you still have some questions, don't hesitate to ask. Unless it is a spoiler or something I plan on mentioning later on, I will gladly answer. 
> 
> First Hoshiura, as you know the girls of Aquor's come from Uranohoshi Girls' High School. Seeing as most of Love Live Sunshine takes place at the school and the city of Numazu I wanted for this story to take place in a land where the most important traits of the school come to life in what I feel characterized the city of Numazu: the coast. I must emphasize that Hoshiura is not a city, in fact it's quite a big country composed of 4 main islands and several minor islands, otherwise the setting would be too small for such a long journey. 
> 
> Next up is Seichi, mentioned only twice within the story. It is basically one of the four main islands that make up Hoshiura and the place where Mari lives. More information regarding this island will be given as the story progresses. 
> 
> And finally it is Otozaka. As you might expect it refers to Otonokizaka, or the school μ's fought so hard to protect. In this story it is not found in Hoshiura, but instead it's a lost country mentioned only in various myths of heroes and legends. One of these legends being of course μ's.
> 
> Most of the terminology and places I have planned are written in Japanese, however I would like your opinion whether you prefer "Wasure rareta Ryōiki [忘れられた領域]" to keep the setting of the story congruent and as Japanese as it can be, or instead you prefer for me to use "Forgotten Realm" for clarity. Also, would you like for me to spoil my planned ships already, or do I add them as the story progresses?


End file.
